The Volokh Conspiracy - Larry Legend vs. Big Papi:

Bloggers are sometimes accused of ignoring the really big issues of the day. To combat this erroneous impression, I felt I absolutely had to blog about ESPN columnist Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons' transcendently important column addressing the absolutely vital question of whether or not Larry Bird is a bigger Boston sports legend than David Ortiz, the Big Papi. Simmons makes a good argument that Ortiz has not yet reached Bird's level of greatness.

My take:

Bird was one of the 5-6 greatest basketball players of all time. Ortiz has not yet reached that level in his sport, and will probably never do so. But although Bird had the better overall career, he cannot match Ortiz's achievements in 2004: playing the decisive role in breaking The Curse of the Bambino and winning the Red Sox' first championship since 1918. Ortiz's heroics not only put an end to The Curse, but also inflicted a crushing defeat on the NY Yankees, the hated enemies of Red Sox Nation. Bird's triumphs over the Lakers, Sixers, and Rockets just don't compare in emotional impact. Rationally, I have to admit that Simmons is probably right. But in my heart I have to go with the Papster.

	[Ilya Somin, August 3, 2006 at 5:28pm] Trackbacks Larry Legend vs. Big Papi: Bloggers are sometimes accused of ignoring the really big issues of the day. To combat this erroneous impression, I felt I absolutely had to blog about ESPN columnist Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons' transcendently important column addressing the absolutely vital question of whether or not Larry Bird is a bigger Boston sports legend than David Ortiz, the Big Papi. Simmons makes a good argument that Ortiz has not yet reached Bird's level of greatness. My take: Bird was one of the 5-6 greatest basketball players of all time. Ortiz has not yet reached that level in his sport, and will probably never do so. But although Bird had the better overall career, he cannot match Ortiz's achievements in 2004: playing the decisive role in breaking The Curse of the Bambino and winning the Red Sox' first championship since 1918. Ortiz's heroics not only put an end to The Curse, but also inflicted a crushing defeat on the NY Yankees, the hated enemies of Red Sox Nation. Bird's triumphs over the Lakers, Sixers, and Rockets just don't compare in emotional impact. Rationally, I have to admit that Simmons is probably right. But in my heart I have to go with the Papster.